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Welcome to the Big Carp 25th anniversary book, published to commemorate 25 years of the magazine. Big Carp is the original ‘top end’ carp mag for the thinking angler. Started in February 1991, its aim has always been to give the ordinary successful angler a platform to tell his story – proper anglers with proper tales to tell.

Many of today’s top carp anglers began writing in BC including Dave Lane, Terry Hearn and Jim Shelley, all of whom wrote their first ever articles in our pages…25 years later and we still have the same philosophy – NO consultant advert/articles.

We are still keeping it real! We hope you have enjoyed reading Big Carp over the past 25 years; many of you reading this grew up reading our magazines and books. We have commissioned some very special chapters for this book including Rob Maylin on 25 years as editor, Keith Jenkins on the iconic venues, Martin Gardner on the future of Yateley in his hands, Clive Williams on the growth of French carp fishing holidays, Mike Wilson on the evolution of carp tackle, Lee Jackson on 25 years behind the counter of a leading carp shop, Steve Briggs on the evolution of carp baits and the UK’s most consistent carp angler, Dave Lane, tells his story of 25 years on the big carp trail, along with lots of other incredible chapters specially written for this incredible volume.

We also polled our loyal readers for their Top 10 lists on a variety of subjects including the all-time Top 10 carp and carp anglers, and shown on pages 5 and 6 are the results for these two subjects. Whether you agree or disagree is immaterial, these were the votes at the time. We now have a yearly vote in Big Carp so if your favourite is not there perhaps it’s time you got voting.

Many people boohoo today scarp scene , too commercialised, too cut throat and too political, they say. Well my friends that’s progress for you! If you don’t like it then I suggest you try our rivers, somewhere that you can still find piece and the unknown, much like it used to be when Big Carp was in its infancy. Long may our beloved sport continue, and long my Big Carp be the true carp angler’s favourite magazine.

Postage Costs: £6 UK | £15 Europe | £25 ROW